Randy Rhoads: The Blizzard King

[The Flying Dutchman]

Found this interview with Max Norman about Randy recording Blizzard:

http://www.guitarworld.com/article/rand ... page=0%2C0

[romeorose]

That's interesting, that guy seen Randy do coke about 3 times. That's the first interview I ever read where someone said Randy used coke.

[Nifareus]

Back then everyone did coke, before the whole crack thing coke was well seen to be as harmless as cannabis is. Compared to Ozzy I'm sure it was negligible.

[romeorose]

oh yeah i agree, i wasn't meaning it in a negative light. i was just suprised to see someone put something in print that makes rhoads look a little less than the mr perfect altar boy saint image that has usually been imposed of him. it's good to see randy was actually a human being like the rest of us.

[RR-ElectricAngel]

I remember reading that article and at first did not really believe what Max Norman was saying. Stories are only as good as the "dirt" they can stir up. Then I read Randy smoked as well. Does it really matter? At first I wasn't sure. Then Sharon Osbourne says she slept with Randy when Ozzy and Sharon's relationship was on the skids. All of these stories are out of context to the life of Randy. It's like when your mom tells all your friends about "One Devious Act " you did at a certain age and that somehow is who you are as a person. Bullshit. I listen to Randy's lost guitar lessons and get a far better sense of who he was then some taudry bit that has been magnified over the last 25 years. Ozzy likes to snort ants and that seems normal compared to Randy who played his ass off every day, took guitar lessons on the road and really was a joy to be around. Come on... Single acts mean nothing. It's the day to day behavior that adds up to character. If people speak well of you it's because you treated others with respect and humility. That was Randy.

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

I like it "The Blizzard King"

"I am the Blizzard King...I can do anything!"
If you love the Doors like me you will get that!

Matt

[Cpt Matt Sparrow]

ps

Bless Ozzy's heart, I bet he tried the professional patience of Max!

Cheers Patrick! How is the Dutchman?

Matt

[GUITARIDOL5682]

I was hoping that Max Norman would of been able to remember which tracks Randy used the Firebird 12 string. I remember he mentioned which guitars he used for the sound on the Diary of a Madman track. The steel and nylon stringed acoustics. But no mention of the 12 string, which is surprising as you can hear this guitar.

[zorcho]

Here's another interview With Max Norman. This time he states that Randy didn't do drugs. Another good read.

http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=5637

[NicDots]

I could see how Max could state both things if the fact stands that Randy did coke a handful of times. Was Randy a drug user and did Randy ever use drugs can bring out two different answers.
Either way, Randy was not an addict and the drug question has little weight.

[Nifareus]

Just an interesting little tidbit, and Randy WAS an addict man ever hear how often he smoked? haha regardless haha mojo risin'

[The Flying Dutchman]

Here's another interview With Max Norman. This time he states that Randy didn't do drugs. Another good read.

http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=5637

Thnx for that!
This btw is interesting:

KNAC.COM: What was it like working on the Randy Rhoads Tribute Record?

NORMAN: An interesting story about that was, they sent me two different tapes. They said look "We got these two different shows, which show should we use?" So I listened to these 2 tapes. One of them was really pretty good, and the other one didn't seem very good at all. It wasn't very exciting. I was trying to work out why, and what was going on because it seemed a little weird to me. Then I finally realized they we're the same show, with radically different mixes. They told me one was King Biscuit and one was Cleveland. It had been mixed completely differently. And I realized that the one that sounded really good, was the one with Randy really loud in the mix. The one that didn't sound very good was the one where Randy was down in the mix. Randy was rushing so much, and was so ahead of the beat on stuff. If you turned him up it all made sense. But if you turned him down, then it sounded very chopped out.

King Biscuit and Cleveland are the same show......
Also his notice that Randy was ahead of the beat is interesting, never really noticed that on either the Cleveland or Montreal show.

[Trigger]

I could see how Max could state both things if the fact stands that Randy did coke a handful of times. Was Randy a drug user and did Randy ever use drugs can bring out two different answers.
Either way, Randy was not an addict and the drug question has little weight.

I know that mentioning anything that shows Randy in a negative light is considered by some to be heretical, I differ with these kind of things. I imagine it must seem hard for some to swalow that RR was anything other than a saint but learning of his faults makes him rounded and interesting, he becomes fully formed and interesting.
To hide these facts away to protect people from learning these things perverts an acurate telling of Randy life. To remove/erase them from his story makes any telling of the RR story that leaves them out false.

I won't admire him any less because I know he had faults, I will however appreciate him more knowing he made mistakes just like any other mortal. His familyu hardly ever visit the forums so to bar telling of such stories has no purpose.
I think drugs became a huge part of the music scene long before Rr showed up and it is no surprise he indulged in them.

[romeorose]

i agree with you on all that Trigger 100%

[Dan]

You have to remember Randy was a kid - early 20's. That is when you are trying different things, having experiences and finding out who you are. He did what you, I and everyone does: finding out what works for you. Does not reflect on his character one bit in my book.